INVESTMENTS

Welcome to the investment area. if you have money saved and are looking to invest you have come to the right place. We compare numerous investment schemes from ISAs and pensions to investment in precious metals. It is important that you read the terms and conditions of any investment scheme thoroughly and if you have any concerns seek professional independent financial advice.

Compare Investments Products

Please find information on online investments options available to the individual consumer. Each product can be applied for and generally controlled online; and are suitable investments for both the casual and serious investor.

Savings Accounts

Putting money into a savings account is a low-risk alternative to direct online investments. Money sitting in a savings account gathers interest over time and is not exposed to major market fluctuations. An aspect that may change, however, is the amount of interest you earn. This is because the UK base interest rate can change  so to avoid being affected you can elect to take a Fixed Rate savings account. In this case, the interest rate on your savings account will be fixed (usually at an attractive level) for a set period of time. During this period, you may not be able to access the money in the account.

Whether you want to put money aside for retirement, wish to pay for your children's higher education, a wedding or perhaps build up capital for a property purchase, a savings account can offer a useful way to do so. A downside to savings accounts compared with an investments plan is that the amount you accumulate on the money could be small. If you are prepared for higher risk, an investment plan (such as a pooled investment fund or trust) could bring higher returns  yet also exposes your capital to the risk of loss.

ISA  Individual Savings Account

Are you looking for ways to invest your hard-earned money? An ISA provides a useful, tax efficient and straightforward way of doing this. There are two main types of ISA: a Cash ISA or a Stocks and Shares (Investment) ISA. A Cash ISA is very similar to a regular savings account offered by your bank but for one important difference. Interest in a Cash ISA is paid gross of tax instead of net of tax.

A Stocks and Shares (Investment) ISA allows you to place your money into long-term investments. You could place the money into the stock market, bonds, indices .the possibilities are varied. Which one you choose might depend on how risky an investment is and your level of experience. Most Investment ISA providers will give you plenty of advice and guidance in choosing suitable investments.

What type of ISA you choose is up to you  all UK adults have the right to put up to £5,100 into a cash ISA each tax year (April to April). Alternatively, you can use a Stocks and Shares ISA  into which you can place up to £7,200 per year. You can 'mix and match'  place up to £3,600 of your £7,200 allowance into a cash ISA and the rest into a Stocks and Shares ISA.

Precious Metals

With many people looking for new ways to invest their savings, precious metals are and always have been the safest way to store and protect your wealth. In times of economic instability many currencies can fluctuate and be unpredictable but may precious metals such as gold and silver have a proven track record of being a safe investment. Platinum and palladium can also be a real safe haven for you savings. Unlike cash you physically own your investment.

There are many companies that can take the hassle out of buying precious metals online. With online companies which give you the chance to purchase certain precious metals you can hold an own the allocated metal in your name as soon as possible. They can also give you the opportunity to sell them back the metals if you wish. It is worth remembering that as with other commodities precious metal prices can still fluctuate. While gold is considered to be the safest investment you will find that other metals such as silver and can be more volatile as they have more industrial use. As more and more people are deciding to invest in precious metals there are many companies out there that offer you the chance to do so. With this in mind it is worth taking the time to research the market and compare what is available.

Pensions

It is no secret that the earlier you begin to put money aside for your pension, the better. The basic state pension in the UK might give you a very minimal income when you reach pensionable age, but most people find that they will not be able to live above a very basic standard.

Today, there are many pension schemes on offer in order to boost your income on retirement. You can even secure an income after you die for loved ones  these are great investments for many people. To get started, you will first need to decide what your goals are  how much would you like, ideally, to be living on once you retire? Next, make sure that you find out what (if at all) your employer is offering in the way of a pension scheme. If you are self-employed, you can also find a good range of pension plans to suit you.

Finally, check that you have covered yourself/your loved ones with a lifetime annuity  there are many on offer including specialised pension plans for smokers or people with a medical condition or disease. These can guarantee an income for yourself and/or your family/partner after you have died.

Pension Releases

Releasing equity from your pension means you can have more access to cash now. You can request a pension release if you are between the ages of 55 and 62 with a pension plan that is not currently giving you income.

Nowadays, many people elect to release or unlock a pension, to access benefits before they reach retirement. In doing so, they receive a tax-free lump sum and / or early retirement income. So if you have spent years building up your pension pot and wish to access some of it early  you can!

Pension Releases

You can switch or transfer your pension to another pension scheme  this is called a Pension Transfer. In other words, you can move the money you have sitting in one pension plan to another plan. Today, many people choose to transfer their pension to a new provider for a variety of reasons. Firstly, they may have found a better offer than their current scheme  perhaps the new provider offers lower fees or a better all-round service. Another popular reason for carrying out a pension transfer is because the person wishes to gather all their various pension plans into one place.

It is generally advised to seek professional financial advice before carrying out a pension transfer, because of the many factors that are involved. Pension transfers can be complex and often require an expert opinion. One thing to bear in mind is that you cannot transfer state pension benefits.

Wills

Have you sorted your Will? It might seem like something that you won't need to worry about for many years to come, but life is full of unexpected change  so making sure that your investments are left in the right hands is essential. Creating Wills is very easy these days, plenty of experts even offer their assistance for online investments.

You might assume that when you die, your estate and investments will automatically fall into the hands of your family and dependents; unfortunately this is not actually what happens. Instead, your money and estate will be taken over by the government  they will then decide what happens to it. If you have your Will already in place, you can rest assured that your wishes are carried out and that your property is left in the right hands.

Selling Endowments

Over the past few years, growing numbers of people have chosen to sell or surrender their endowment policy to free up some capital when it is most needed. In fact, according to the Association of Policy Market Makers, only one third of all policies actually reach maturity while 30% of policyholders cancel their policy within the first few years.

There are a number of ways to end an endowment. You can surrender the policy back to the life company you originally purchased it from. Another option is to sell an endowment policy  this is often a preferred choice as it can get the seller a much better price than if they were to surrender it back to the issuing company.

Before deciding whether to sell or surrender your endowments, you can compare the options. There are now many mediating companies that offer to take your policy to the market, in order to find you the best price. There are also specialist policy traders who can also offer good cash prices for the policy. Have a look at what each provider offers, what (if any) the costs are and whether or not you can find a suitable price for your policy. If you are in any doubt about selling endowments, seek independent financial advice.